Lockney to host Legion meeting

Published 3:06 am, Saturday, November 5, 2011

Veterans from close to 10 area counties will converge on Lockney this weekend for the 19th District American Legion meeting.

Approximately 35 people are expected to attend, although Bill Strickland, commander of Post #141 in Lockney, hopes many more show up.

"We'd like to have all interested veterans meet with us," Strickland said.

The meeting at the Lockney Community Center, 500 E. Eighth Street, begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and should conclude close to noon when a barbecue lunch will be served.

Guest speaker will be retired Otto B. Schacht, retired U.S. Army colonel and dean of the School of Business at Wayland Baptist University.

A week before Veterans Day, the meeting also will include the advance of colors, a POW/MIA Empty Chair Ceremony, awards and a memorial service, in addition to regular business items for the 19th District, which meets twice a year.

Strickland said meetings rotate between various towns within the district, but this is the first time in a very long time that Lockney has hosted it.

"We told them we'd like to have it here this year, and they agreed," Strickland said, adding that Post 141 has 21 members. That's the most members the post has had in several years, he said.

"A lot of boys are coming back from Iraq, and we've recently gotten some from Vietnam who had never joined before," Strickland said.